Since moving to Colorado about a year and a half ago, Chad DeShano has had a lot of cool experiences.

A sergeant with the United States Marine Corps, he has been a part of the color guard, posting the colors at all sorts of major sporting events, including all the home games for the Denver Broncos.

On Monday, DeShano got on the Bolder Boulder stage for the first time, carrying the U.S. flag and barking orders to the rest of the color guard during the annual Memorial Day celebration following the races.

"We're out here on a day that we're able to celebrate the sacrifices that my brothers and sisters have made all these years," said DeShano, who is from Auburn, Michigan. "It's just an overwhelming feeling and all the support that we get from our country, our fellow brothers and sisters out there."

DeShano said that the biggest event in which he has performed was a Broncos playoff game, in front of 75,000 fans and on national television. His first Bolder Boulder, however, had special meaning.

"To be here for Memorial Day performing out here, it is the most significant event that I will have done since I've been out here," he said. "It's very humbling to know that I got selected to be able to do this, along with my fellow Marines.

"This is the most meaningful (event) that's going to have the biggest impact on me personally."

Smooth day for organizers

Dr. Todd Dorfman didn't have much to do at the Bolder Boulder, and he likes it that way.

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The event's medical director, Dorfman said he and his team had an "uneventful year," in terms of the number of participants treated. There were more than 52,000 runners competing and Dorfman said that only 56 needed to be treated in the MASH tent and another 35 in the stadium.

Of those treated, Dorfman said most where for dehydration or heat exhaustion. Just three patients were sent to Boulder Community Hospital for more testing. Dorfman said all three had minor issues.

"We don't want to do any work, but we're here to keep it safe," Dorfman said. "It was really a pretty easy year from a medical standpoint."

Positive feedback

Two weeks ago, the University of Colorado began construction on its facilities upgrades, and with that, the north stands have been wiped out, as well as some seats in the northwest corner of the stadium.

Race director Cliff Bosley said the construction had no negative impact on the Bolder Boulder.

"The construction company and the project manager at the university worked very closely to make sure that the Bolder Boulder could come off," he said. "They did a really good job."

Bosley said he received no negative feedback from those in attendance. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

"Mostly what I heard from people is excitement and 'What's going on in here? What will it look like?'" Bosley said. "The feedback I've been getting all weekend is 'Oh, cool.' The other feedback I get is that it'll be a great gateway or a great entry point for the Bolder Boulder."

Still going strong

Local running legend Melody Fairchild ran as a masters runner (aged 40-plus) for the first time. The 40-year-old Boulder resident finished ninth in the women's citizen's race, clocking in at 36 minutes, 59.31 seconds.

Fairchild won three consecutive Bolder Boulders, from 1989-1991.

Notable

Officially, there were 52,115 runners registered, the fifth-most all-time. Of those, 45,828 finished, which is the seventh-most finishers in race history. ... Although the number of finishers was high, it represented just 87.9 percent of the entrants — the lowest percentage of finishers since 1995, when only 87.0 percent finished. At least 90 percent finished every year from 1996-2013. ... In addition to those who ran on site, Bosley said there were 2,500-2,600 who ran in satellite races around the world. ... Going into the day, there were 66 members of the BolderBoulder's Boldest — the group that has participated in every single race since 1979. Bosley said on Monday afternoon that he believes all 66 returned and competed this year, too.